Watch Rocket Lab’s Electron make its first commercial flight

Today, US spaceflight startup Rocket Lab could attempt something it’s never tried before: a commercial launch of its Electron rocket. This will only be the Electron’s third flight and the first of what the company hopes will be monthly launches by the end of the year. If the launch is scrubbed today, check back in tomorrow… and the next day. Every day for the next 14 days, the company will attempt a launch within a four-hour window that starts at 8:30PM ET.

That’s because Rocket Lab aims to get small satellites into orbit quickly and often. After all, the small satellite business is booming; companies like Planet are sending up dozens of satellites in a single launch to monitor the Earth.

That successful second test showed that the Electron could deliver — setting the stage for the company’s first commercial flight. The mission had originally been planned for April, until Rocket Lab’s engineering team noticed the strange behavior of a key motor. But the company has figured it out and fixed the problem, Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck told The Verge in May.

Today marks the start of the 14-day launch window. If the weather cooperates, the Electron could be launching from Rocket Lab’s launchpad on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula as soon as 8:50PM ET (12:50PM local time in New Zealand), the company tweeted. The rocket will carry four satellites and a test probe equipped with a sail designed to drag defunct satellites out of orbit.

We’re excited to launch NABEO to orbit on #ItsBusinessTime! Built by HPS GmbH, the NABEO drag sail can be stored in a spacecraft, then deployed once the satellite reaches the end of its orbital life. The sail increases surface area and deorbits the sat faster = less space junk! pic.twitter.com/9W0uaE9W10

You can watch Rocket Lab’s live stream, which will start about 20 minutes before launch. Of course, it’s possible the launch will be scrubbed, the company warns, “as weather conditions constantly change.” Keep track on Rocket Lab’s Twitter, and check back here for updates.